Harold George Herbert ROBERTS [2885]

  General Notes:

1921 WA Birth Roberts Harold G H, Male Moora 22 1921
1991 Death

Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954) Sun 19 Jan 1941
Pearce Trainees Get 28 Days Detention
The Story of Two Mess Stewards Who Wanted to Go Away and Fight
Harold Roberts is a 31-year-old jeweller.
Fifteen months ago he joined the R.A.A.F. as a mess steward because he thought it was the only way he.could get in. But he dreamed of becoming a mechanic or a gunner. Dreams did not become realities; so Roberts decided that he wanted to get nearer to war than laying out officers' pants.
So he enlisted in the A.I.F.
He's now" doing 28 days at Fremantle Detention Barracks for his trouble.

"The Sunday Times" does not for one Instant suggest that Leading Aircraftsman Harold Roberts set about the job In the right way; He committed an offence against discipline. But lt does seem rather hard that a man whose breach Is caused by a desire to serve his country tn the front line should get 28 days tor his enthusiasm.
On the other hand the authorities must obviously exercise some discipline otherwise it would be possible to wake up one morning and find that the Navy and Air Force had afl joined the A.I.F or vice versa.
Harold Roberts tried to enter the RAAF as a machine gunner or as a mechanic. He also thought that his civilian training as a Jeweller ought to make him of some value to the air army In some special capacity-instrument making for example.
He says he was told quite frankly that the only way to get Into the R.A.A F at that time was as a mess steward So he lolned up hoping for a re-muster which would enable him to do useful work.
Eventually he was sent East where he was put on instrument making. Then he was sent back to Pearce again as a mess steward. And to indicate his feelings be applied for a transfer to the A.I.F. This was refused.

Enlisted in A.I.F.
A little later he enlisted tn the A.I.F., passed the medical test and then returned to Pearce and his R.A.A.F duties.
When Christmas leave came along he got out of blue and into khaki and although still legally In the R.A.A.F. went Into Claremont Camp as a member of the A I F He jolned up with a Companion In the R A.A.F. and the companion, too, is enjoying Fremantles hospitality for 28 days.
When the two failed to return from leave the RAAF became interested. Pickets paid a visit to the home of Roberts' mother, searched the house and also went next door. Mrs. Roberts then told the picket what her son had done.
Roberts and his companion were arrested at Claremont military camp.
Roth were hauled back to Pearce and both got 28 days.
Both are now tn the military detention section of Fremantle gaol.
That is the story.

Officers' Statement
The Offlrer Administering Western Area Command (Group Captain Charlesworth) admitted that the two men had been sentenced to 28 days on a charge of fraudulent enlistment. The men had signed confessions and consequently half not been charged before court martial. Th ere 4. were no extraneous lames tn the charge and the question of their duties as mess stewards had not I arisen They had been dealt with only for fraudulent enlistment. There ls no suggestion that either
Roberts or his companion had failed In their dulles.
Officers of the RA A.F spoke highly of the men. There was nothing against them except this one breach of dlscipllne Military authorities spoke well of them too. Their brief and suddenly-Interrupted military service bad been satisfactorily performed. It is not suggested that the men have done anything except been unorthodox in their method of transfer from one service to another. In fact it is admitted that their enthusiasm to serve Australia and the Empire in time of crisis Is the whole reason tor the trouble. But discipline demands that unorthodox enthusiasm should be dampened. .

System at Fault
The real issue, however, is not the unorthodoxy of the two men but the system which makes men willing to be "crimed" to leave the service-not to return to civilian life-but to join an other branch of His Majesty's forces.
"The Sunday Times" considers that this case again emphasises the need for a searching inquiry into the whole method of R.A.A.F. administration.
Does the designation "Leading Aircraftsman" suggest cleaning shoes, making porridge and packing officers' children off to school? It seems that there is something radically wrong when a "leading aircraftsman" is expected to become a domestic servant.

A Woman's Work
The Sunday Times" suggests thal I these Jobs can be done moen more ef ( flclentlv and ranch more pleasantly by women trained to the Job. The Royal t Air Force in England has a most efficient woman's auxiliary. All are paid and serving members of the service, and some of them have been decorated for gallantry when their stations have heen bombed
Women are engaged for the duration of the war at reasonable rates of pay, they take the oath of allegiance and are serving officers and men subject to miltary discipline. They enlist for specific tasks-domestic, clerical and administrative. They release thousand] of men for combatant duties and they prevent the very kind of friction which has occurred at Pearce.
Men given a man's chance to serve his country would not want to leave the R.A.A.F. it does seem strange however, that a man claiming to be a skilled jeweller cannot be found anything more useful to do than domestic work.
"The Sunday Times" suggests that the Air Board should introduce a searching inquiry and that it should especially investigate the formation of a women's auxiliary and so release able bodied men for more useful service.
All the complaints cannot be groundless or prejudiced.

Hired Help Scarce
The Minister for Air (Mr. McEwen) has stated frankly that officers are paid sufficient to enable their wives to employ domestic help but that the difficulty is to obtain the women to serve at stations removed from the main centres of population.
"The Sunday Times" suggests that a women's auxiliary would overcome many of the disadvantages of remote stations. They would provide a social life at present lackng as well as giving thousands of women a chance to serve their country.
Trade schools could be established on the stations and men now employed on domestic work could be sent to school, and become skilled tradesmen-men whom the R A.A.F. need in ever increasing numbers.
If a women's auxiliary was formed practically the whole of the clerical and domestic routine of the R.A.A.F. could be undertaken by them.
If the women of Britain can give such distinguished service under active service conditions surely the women of Australia can give equally efficient service ten thousand miles from the firing line.

Officialdom's Real Duty
A sentence of 28 days for fraudulent enlistment may be justified on purely technical grounds, but the real duty of the Air Board is to get to the root of the trouble and to Investigate thoroughly the system which is fostering such intense dissatisfaction.
"The Sunday Times doesn't want to be destructive in its criticism. We give place to noboby In our anxiety to help the war effort but the war effort is not being helped but hindered if things like this are allowed to go on.
The country needs the enthusiasm of every man In every unit whether it be the R.A.A F., A.I.F., Navy or In the ranks of the home defenders. The only way to obtain that unity and enthusiasm is to remove the existing anomalies.
We suggest an open Court of Inquiry at Pearce to investigate the complaints and before which men can appear to air their grievances without fear of victimisation or reprisals.


The Daily News (Perth) Saturday 31 January 1942
Missing Airman Safe
Flying-Officer Harold Herbert George Roberts of Maylands, who was previously reported missing, is now reported a prisoner of war at Capau, Italy. Squadron-Leader A. Rawlinson, writing from the battlefront, described the operation from which Flying-Officer Roberts failed to return as "a sweep over enemy territory in the Tubruk-El Adem area on November 22." During the operations 20 Messerschmitts were encountered, the fight lasting an hour. Squadron-Leader Rawlinson warmly praised Flying-Officer Roberts as a very keen pilot with 55 hours' operational flying to his credit. Flying Officer Roberts, he said, had shot down one of the enemy aircraft. This pilot was also the hero of a remarkable escape only a week or so before he became a prisoner of war. Forced down in the desert, he camouflaged his plane, sent for spare parts and made his get away the following morning. Flying-Officer Roberts' father and three sisters live in Grand Parade, Maylands. Mr. Roberts has been informed by the Apostolic Delegate of the Vatican that his son is uninjured and is being treated well.

  Other Records

• Autographed Group Portrait Airforce Officers POW Italy: Campo PG78, WW2, Sulmona POW Italy. (Image courtesy Australian War Memorial)
Description
Sulmona, Italy. Autographed group portrait of some Air Force prisoners of war at the POW Campo PG 78. Identified back row, left to right: 250704 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Geoffrey Talbot (Geoff) Chinchen, 406082 Flying Officer (FO) Harold George Herbert Roberts, 406402 Pilot Officer (PO) Keith Murdoch, 402850 Flying Officer (FO) Robert Lachlan Condon, FO Furphy, Flt Lt Dick Hooper, 252761FO Frederic Felix Henriques (Fred) Eggleston, 406630 FO Reginald Sydney (Reg) Spear, FO Mory Edwards. Front row, left to right: 400606 PO Frederick Easton "Dade" Thwaites; 402240 Flt Lt Malcom John "Mac" Jones; 402730 PO Albert Henry (Bert) Comber; 402231PO Jack Donald, Flt Lt Robert "Bobby" Jones, FO Alan Thomson. (Cibachrome copy in AWM Private Records Collection at PR85/353)

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: distributor, 1949, 96 Forrest street, Cottesloe, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: tiling con, 1954, 524 Gt. Eastern highway, Greenmount, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: tiling con, 1958, 524 Gt. Eastern highway, Greenmount, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: manager, 1963, 67 Olive st, Subiaco, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: manager, 1968, 67 Olive street, Subiaco, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: Inspector, 1972, 9/6 Dane st E, Vic Park 6101, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: Inspector, 1977, 35 Glenwood Av, Boya 6056, Mundaring, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: Inspector, 1977, 35 Glenwood Av, Hlna Valy 6056, Western Australia.

• Australian Electoral Roll 1903-1980: Inspector, 1980, 35 Glenwood Av, Boya 6056, Mundaring, Western Australia.

Harold married Mavis Gertrude THORN [8357] [MRIN: 3035].

Harold next married Living